His Ethos Was the Qur’an
Taking on the Character of the Qur’an ramadan 1446 guidebook
1430 | 2009
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“And say, O Lord, increase me in knowledge.” sura ţā hā , verse 114
Both the fast [of Ramadan] and the Qur’an will intercede for the servant on the Day of Judgment. The fast will say, “O My Lord, I prevented him from food and desires during the day, so accept my intercession for him.” And the Qur’an will say, “I prevented him from sleep at night, so accept my intercession for him.” Thus, they will intercede.
Muslim S
taking on the character of the qur’an
In this month of gratitude and mercy, we thank Allah for His innumerable blessings, the greatest of which is His Beloved, our Prophet Muhammad s. Through him, humanity has before us perfection in every aspect: form, intellect, and character. His mercy extends beyond us, to all forms of creation, and illuminates the cosmos. Allah chose him, honored him among all others, and sent him as the Seal of His Messengers s. His name and rank command praise, as Allah instructs us:
God and His angels bless the Prophet: O believers, invoke blessings on him, and greet him with a prayer for peace.
(Q ur’an 33:56)
In this month of the Qur’an, we turn to the guidance of the Chosen One, the Praised One, the Prophet Muhammad s, whose ethos is the Qur’an. Ethos, originating from Greek, meaning “character or disposition,” in this context reflects the ideals, ethics, moral character, and virtues of our Prophet s. As our Mother al-Sayyidah ‘Ā’ishah j perfectly and succinctly stated about the Prophet s, “His ethos was the Qur’an.”
The Qur’an and its perfect exemplar, our Prophet s, remain central to our mission, as we seek to reap the endless rewards of this blessed month. In these sacred days and nights, we ask Allah to grant us the strength and ability to focus, so we may benefit from every
moment of our fasts, devotional prayers, Qur’anic recitations, charitable giving, and community service. May we purify our minds and hearts through divine remembrance, and may we hold fast to the sunnah and sublime example of our Prophet s, who taught us the perfect response for any occurrence or situation.
In these troubling times, we renew our commitment to rectify ourselves, our families, and our communities, and to do whatever we can to alleviate the su erings and di culties of others.
In gratitude to you, our friends and partners in the Zaytuna mission of intellectual revival, we’d like to gift you this pocket-sized Ramadan guidebook. It includes the oft-recited Qur’anic verses and prophetic invocations for daily practice and provides a convenient planner with checklists to help you keep track of your daily devotions. Please remember Zaytuna College, its students, sta , and faculty in your prayers; you and your families are in ours.
daily devotional verses
the verse of al - kursī
The 255th verse of Sura Al-Baqarah is the greatest verse in the Qur’an.
Ubayy b. Ka‘b g narrates this hadith:
The Prophet of God s said, “O Abū al-Mundhir, do you know which verse of the Book of God that you have is the greatest?” I said, “God and His messenger know better.” [The Prophet s] said, “O Abū al-Mundhir, do you know which verse of the Book of God that you have is the greatest?” I [then] said:
[reciting the beginning of the verse of Al-Kursī].” [The Prophet s] lightly struck my chest and said, “By God, congratulations on your knowledge, O Abū al-Mundhir.” (Muslim)
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the last two verses of sura al - baqarah
The Prophet s recommended reciting these two verses at night before sleep in the following agreed-upon hadith.
On the authority of Abū Mas‘ūd al-Badrī, it is reported that the Prophet of God s said: “Reciting the last two verses of Sura al-Baqarah at night will su ce one who does so.”
Scholars di er as to what the Prophet s meant by “su ce him.” Some have argued that it would take the place of night prayers in reward.
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the enduring righteous supplications recited after every prayer
(3) لا
I seek forgiveness from God (3x).
O God, You are Perfect Peace and from You comes peace; Glory be to You, O Lord of Majesty and Honor! (Muslim) S
O God, aid me in remembrance of, gratitude for, and excellent devotion to You. (Abū D āwūd) S
There is none worthy of worship save God, without any partner. All dominion belongs to God; all praise is due to God; and God alone has power over all things. O God, none can withhold what You grant, and none can grant what You withhold, and no one’s prosperity will avail him from You. (Al-Bukhārī and Muslim)
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Whoever says after each prayer, “Glory be to God” thirty-three times, “All praise is due to God” thirtythree times, and “God is the Greatest” thirty-three times, and then completes the full hundred by saying,
‘There is none worthy of worship save God; all dominion belongs to God; all praise is due to God; and God has power over all things,’ his or her sins will be forgiven, even if they be as abundant as the foam of the sea. (Muslim) S
There is none worthy of worship save God, without any partner. All dominion belongs to God; all praise is due to God; and God has power over all things. There is no ability and no power except by God. There is none worthy of worship save God, and we worship none but God alone. All bounty and grace, all praise and glory belong to God. There is none worthy of worship save God; we worship God sincerely, though the ingrates detest it. (Muslim)
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ramadan supplications
upon seeing the new moon
God is the Greatest (3x).
O God, let this crescent come upon us as a herald of security, faith, soundness, submission, and success in all that You love and are pleased with. [Then, addressing the crescent, say,] “My Lord and your Lord is God.”
(Al-Tirmidhī) S
when breaking the fast
O God, for You I have fasted, and with Your sustenance, I now break my fast. (Abū D āwūd)
The thirst is gone, the arteries are saturated, and the reward is set, if God wills. (Abū D āwūd)
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when breaking the fast as a guest
May the ones fasting break their fast with you; may the righteous always eat your food; and may the angels descend upon you. (Aĥmad) S
daily obligations and recommended acts
praying on time
‘Abd Allāh b. Mas‘ūd narrates: I said, “O Messenger of God, which deeds are best?” The Messenger of God s said, “Prayer in its proper time.” I said, “Then what, O Messenger of God?” The Prophet s said, “Good treatment of your parents.” I said, “Then what, O Messenger of God?” The Prophet s said, “That people are safe from your tongue.” (Al-Ţabarānī)
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reciting the qur’an
Whoever reads a letter from the Book of God will receive the reward of a good deed. Each good deed’s reward multiplies ten times. I am not saying “Alif Lām Mīm” amounts to one letter; rather, Alif is a letter, Lām is a letter, and Mīm is a letter.” (Al-Tirmidhī)
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performing night prayers
Our Lord Almighty descends to the lowest heaven in the last third of every night, saying, “Who is calling upon Me that I may answer him? Who is asking from Me that I may give him? Who is seeking My pardon so that I may pardon him?” (Al-Bukhārī and Muslim)
note:
Scholars consider this hadith as among the hazy utterances (mutashābihāt). God in His infiniteness neither occupies space nor moves from one place to another. “Descend” here should be accepted as whatever God intended it to mean from the mouth of our beloved Prophet s. God knows best what His “descent” signifies. It indicates, however, that this time allows a greater access to God’s “proximity” than other times.
The nearest a servant comes to one’s Lord occurs when one prostrates, so supplicate much therein. (Muslim)
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guarding the tongue
God does not have concern for one who does not leave false speech while fasting, whether he leaves his food and drink or not. (Al-Bukhārī)
note:
Scholars say that “false speech” here refers to all sinful acts of the tongue, including lying, insulting, cursing, backbiting, and talebearing.
giving out in charity
The Prophet s was the most generous of all people, and he was more generous in Ramadan than any other time. (Al-Bukhārī) S
vigilance on the night of power
Laylat al-Qadr is better than a thousand months. (Q ur’an 97:3)
recommended worship on laylat al - qadr
• Pray ‘Ishā’ and Tarāwīĥ in congregation.
• Spend the rest of the night praying, reading the Qur’an, remembering God, and supplicating until dawn.
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supplication for laylat al - qadr
O God, You are Oft-Forgiving, Generous: You love to pardon, so pardon me. (Al-Tirmidhī)
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performing night prayers
The obligatory prayers require vigilance throughout the year, given that to delay a prayer from its time without a valid excuse constitutes a major sin—and even disbelief according to some scholars. In Ramadan, in addition to our vigilance with obligatory prayers, we are encouraged to add night prayers to our daily routine that perhaps we might continue the practice once Ramadan ends. These extra prayers of Tarāwiĥ can be performed either in congregation at the mosque or with the family at home. Scholars di er as to which has a greater reward.
studying and reciting the qur’an
Ramadan harkens us to the Qur’an, both its study and its recitation. One way to ensure that you complete at least one reading (khatm) of the Qur’an this month is to follow a schedule. The schedule below enables you to complete up to four khatms, depending on the amount of pages you choose to recite. The numbers under the prayer times indicate the amount of pages to recite:
Depending on your copy of the Qur’an, and depending on whether Ramadan is 29 or 30 days long, you may need to make slight adjustments to these numbers.
guarding the tongue
Ramadan is a month of guarding one’s tongue and a month of generosity.
making the intention to fast
At the onset of Ramadan, make the intention to fast all of Ramadan. Then, every day, after the predawn (suĥūr) meal, renew your intention to fast that day:
I intend to fast this day of Ramadan.
note:
Malikis consider one intention at the outset of the fast to su ce the entire month—unless one breaks the fast from sickness or travel, in which case, one must renew the intention. Hanafis and Shafi‘is consider it an obligation to renew the intention each day before dawn. Scholars consider it recommended to observe such di erences; hence, it is better to renew the intention each day.
ramadan checklist
Use the following checklist to help you achieve your goals for this month. May God give you success.
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the first 10 nights of ramadan: mercy
The first third of Ramadan contains God’s mercy, the second third forgiveness, and the last third freedom from the Fire. (Ibn Khuzaymah)
So take advantage of the first third of Ramadan to gain God’s mercy, and set your daily rhythm for the rest of the month.
note:
Fasting includes more than simply refraining from eating and drinking. Guarding the tongue means fasting from any bad tendencies of one’s speech as a way of purifying one’s tongue.
Whosoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent. (Muslim)
Prayed on time
Fajr
Performed extra prayers Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 2
Prayed on time
Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 3
Prayed on time Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 4
Prayed on time Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 5
Prayed on time
Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 6
Prayed on time Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr
Performed extra prayers
Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 7
Prayed on time Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 8
Prayed on time
Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 9
Prayed on time Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 10
Prayed on time Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
the second 10 nights of ramadan: forgiveness
The second third of Ramadan is the time for gaining God’s forgiveness. It is time to keep the momentum going and to prepare for the last.
One way to gain God’s forgiveness is to forgive others. Another way to win God’s forgiveness is to give out in charity, visit the sick, and help those in need. A third way is to increase the number of times you seek forgiveness from God.
Say: O God, Your forgiveness is of greater vastness than my sins, and I have more hope in Your mercy than in my actions. (Al-Ĥākim) S
Prayed on time
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 12
Prayed on time
Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 13
Prayed on time
Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 14
Prayed on time Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 15
Prayed on time
Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 16
Prayed on time
Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 17
Prayed on time
Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 18
Prayed on time
Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 19
Prayed on time Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 20
Prayed on time
Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
the last 10 nights of ramadan: salvation from hellfire
By the grace of God, you have completed the first 20 days of Ramadan. It is now time for the best part of the month.
If you can, perform the sunnah of retreating to the mosque for a portion of time in which one sleeps and eats therein (i‘tikāf), either for the entire day or from sunset to dawn. Perform additional night prayers and acts of worship. Read more of the Qur’an, and donate more charity. Most importantly, seize the opportunity a orded on Laylat al-Qadr to gain months of reward in one night. The companions l used to prepare for this great night by performing the ritual bath (ghusl) every night of the last ten days and applying perfume.
As the month draws to a close, be sure to complete at least one reading of the Qur’an followed by the supplication of completion.
Prayed on time
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 22
Prayed on time
Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 23
Prayed on time Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 24
Prayed on time Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 25
Prayed on time
Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 26
Prayed on time
Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 27
Prayed on time Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 28
Prayed on time
Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 29
Prayed on time Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
day 30
Prayed on time Fajr Żuhr ‘Aśr Maghrib ‘Ishā’
Performed extra prayers
Read my daily Qur’an portion: ( ) pages
Guarded my tongue
Gave śadaqah
May Allah bless your Ramadan and accept your devotions.
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